Software Engineer; Lifecycle Automation - remote Security Clearance

Position: Software Engineer (Full Lifecycle Automation) - 75% remote with Security Clearance
Software Engineer - Ft Belvoir, VA (hybrid) Code scratch is currently seeking curious, self-directed Software Engineers to help build our suite of cyber products and the cutting-edge analytics and tools that power them. We're looking for engineers who learn on their own, spot problems and opportunities for improvement without being told to and can drive work forward with minimal direction - while still collaborating openly with teammates, customers, and partners.

Join us to contribute to innovative engineering projects, creating reliable, scalable, and high-performing software for efficient data processing and informed decision-making. We operate with a startup-like culture - small teams, low bureaucracy, high ownership - where engineers directly shape the products our customers depend on. You'll own your technical designs, help shape the big picture, and work on real-world challenges in a place where you can learn and grow while supporting mission-critical applications!
The ideal candidate is an experienced software engineer with a strong foundation in designing, developing, and maintaining high-quality software solutions, and the judgment to operate independently. You take initiative - identifying gaps, proposing improvements, and following through without needing close oversight - and you bring that same energy to collaborating with peers and customers.
* This position requires candidates to be local to the DMV Metro area for onsite work appx 25% of the time.
* How You’ll Help Us Build:
Design, develop, and maintain scalable, high-performance back-end services, APIs, and UI for data management and visualization tools.
Optimize database performance, data modeling, and processing for large-scale applications.
Enhance existing back-end architecture to improve system responsiveness, security, and scalability.
Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment.
Work alongside program managers, UX designers, software engineers, hardware engineers, subject matter experts, and customers.
Conduct ongoing code documentation.
Develop ongoing unit-based tests and regression tests, create acceptance criteria for QC, conduct peer-review with other team members, and review code for others.
Optimize software performance by identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements. Why Code scratch? We are a small company that focuses on our employees first. We run lean - minimal overhead, no bloated administrative layer - so more of what the company earns goes back to the people doing the work. We still invest in the infrastructure our teams need to do great engineering;

we just don't spend on things that don't move the needle for employees or customers. Here are a few highlights of our benefits package:
We are proud to offer a stellar 401(k) plan to every employee on day one. Code scratch contributes 15% of your earnings each pay period, on top of any contribution you choose to make - it’s that simple. No vesting schedule, no lump sum, no gotchas! Our team members stick around because they love the company, not because of gimmicks.
Code scratch contributes 12% of your rate towards your employee premium for healthcare, vision and dental.
Flexibility - get paid for every hour that you work!
Education/training allowances. We invest in your professional development by covering the cost of certifications relevant to your job. We also reimburse some of the cost for books, audio books and online video courses.

Basic Qualifications:

* NOTE:

We have several openings! We can hire ALL levels, with a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. Please apply and we will review based on experience and expertise (compensation varies based on years of experience of the applicant)! MINIMUM of 5+ years of experience in Software Engineering/Development experience.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Assurance, or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required.
Strong backend programming experience in Python, Ruby, and/or Rust (or similar modern backend languages) - candidates do not need all three but should be deeply proficient in at least one.
Solid foundation in software architecture and building distributed systems at scale.
Familiarity with Git, SQL, CI/CD, Testing, and Debugging. This includes complex production debugging using a variety of techniques such as memory analysis and leveraging observability metrics.

Experience with Data Visualization, RESTful APIs, RESTful Web Services,
Full software lifecycle automation experience (design, development, test, deployment), including deployment to a production environment.
Excellent communication and collaboration abilities.
Experience working independently to solve complex problems.
Preferred qualifications/skills:
Full-stack experience is preferred, including Vue/Type Script for UI development.
Familiarity in database architecture and user experience (UX).
Knowledgeable in Artificial Intelligence, specifically Large Language Models.
Orchestration and…